Griffiths arrives in Yemen's Sanaa for talks to push for beace in Hodeida

The United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, met on Monday with officials of the United Nations Mission in Sanaa

and the Houthis group (Ansar Allah) as part of his efforts to implement the Stockholm agreement concluded by the parties to the conflict, Yemen's internationally recognized government and the Houthis group, in Sweden's consultations last December.

The efforts of the UN envoy are currently focused on overcoming the difficulties facing the implementation of the provisions of the Stockholm Agreement, especially with regard to the redeployment of the forces of the two parties in the province of Hodeida in western Yemen, and swap of prisoners and detainees.

According to unnamed Yemeni diplomatic source, Sputnik news agency reported that Griffiths and Lollesgaard would discuss in Sanaa a proposal and mechanism for the deployment of the forces of the two parties to the Yemen's conflict in the province of Hodeida, west of Yemen, before discussing it with the leadership of the Houthis group.

According to unnamed Yemeni diplomatic source, Sputnik news agency reported that Griffiths and Lollesgaard would discuss a proposal and mechanism for the deployment of the forces of the two parties to the Yemen's conflict in the province of Hodeida, west of Yemen, before discussing it with the leadership of the Houthis group.

The new UN monitoring chief in Yemen, Danish General Michael Lollesgaard, presented on Saturday a new proposal for the implementation of the Stockholm Agreement on the redeployment of the forces of the two parties to the conflict in the province of Hodeidah.

Parties to the nearly 4-year war in Yemen, after 8 days of peace talks in Sweden, agreed on 13 December to cease fire in Hodeida and redeploy their forces from the port city and ports of Hodeida, Salif and Ras Isa.

UN monitor mission has been deployed in Hodeida to monitor rivals' compliance with Stockholm Agreement on Hodeida ceasefire and redeployment, work with both sides on providing local security forces to guard Red City and its three ports, facilitate UN support for parties in fully applying ceasefire deal, and lead and shore up a coordination plan for redeploying forces of both coalition-backed government and Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

Yemen has been racked by an armed conflict that broke out after the Iranian-backed Houthis had ousted the internationally recognized government late in 2014.

The conflict escalated after a Saudi-led coalition intervened militarily in the country in March 2015 to reinstate the government of President Hadi, pushing the country to the world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to the UN.